Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
JULY 19, 2023
Subject
SUBJECT: COUNTYWIDE PLANNING MAJOR PROJECT STATUS
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE Countywide Planning & Development Major Projects Status Report.
Issue
ISSUE
Countywide Planning and Development’s major projects status report provides highlights of capital projects in planning phases of development. These include transit corridor projects such as rail and bus rapid transit, Measure M active transportation corridor projects, and highway projects.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro’s mission is to provide a world-class transportation system that enhances the quality of life for all who live, work, and play within Los Angeles County. Countywide Planning and Development (CPD) oversees the planning of major capital projects to support this mission. The attached Project Status Report (Attachment A) provides an update on the planning progress of Metro’s four major Pillar Projects -- West Santa Ana Branch, Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2, C (Green) Line Extension to Torrance, and Sepulveda Transit Corridor, as well as other major projects in transit and active transportation planning. In addition, the quarterly report also includes major highways and complete streets projects in various stages of development.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The status report provides an update on major projects as they advance through alternatives and feasibility analyses, technical analyses for environmental certification, selection of preferred projects, cost estimation and funding development, and evaluation of project delivery method. Following environmental planning milestones, projects typically transition from CPD to Program Management and are included in the Program Management Major Project Status report, provided on a quarterly basis to the Metro Board’s Construction Committee.
Last quarter’s report was presented at the April 19, 2023, meeting of the Planning and Programming Committee, during which Director Solis requested that staff explore strategies to advance the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 project, including contracting and procurement arrangements, and advancing pre-construction activities. She requested that by July 2023, staff address the following:
A. Assess design and construction procurement of the project as a single alternative delivery contract, such as progressive design-build,
B. Explore how a preconstruction contract to the selected contractor team and segmented contracts can advance progress,
C. Like the West Santa Ana Branch project, explore the opportunity to award an “Early Works” contract that includes utility relocation, demolition, environmental protection, and any long-lead procurement activities, like the Tunnel Boring Machine,
D. Look into prioritizing and initiating preconstruction on a City of Commerce IOS/tunnel segment to break ground as soon as possible, subject to state and federal environmental clearance,
E. Assess continuing preconstruction work for the remaining segments (to Greenwood IOS and the rest of the alignment), advancing the design and value engineering activities for those segments, allowing construction to start quickly as funding becomes available.
In response, Metro’s Program Management staff currently is developing a set of criteria to be used when selecting project delivery methods for Metro projects. These project delivery methods may include but are not limited to design-build, progressive design-build, construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC) arrangements. Program Management anticipates the completion of these evaluation criteria and selection of a delivery method for the Project by the Fall 2023, and application to FTA as early as mid-2024 to enter the Project Development phase.
In parallel, staff recognizes that advancing pre-construction activities can reduce future risk in construction, and some activities may be advanced following CEQA certification (anticipated in Winter 2024) and before NEPA clearance. Such pre-construction activities include:
- Geotechnical exploration: These activities are underway to conduct subsurface investigations. This allows the Project team to better understand and manage risk, which will be an important consideration in identifying the project delivery method and future construction needs.
- Utility relocation: Documentation of existing and potential conflicts also is underway, and relocations will follow. These activities may be conducted prior to NEPA clearance as “early works,” though Metro’s expenditures may not be counted as local match toward any federal grant awards. Early relocation of utilities, however, is anticipated to reduce overall time and risk to construction.
- Identification of potential long-lead procurements: The Project team, in its evaluation of early works potential and in its consideration of the project delivery method, will evaluate any potential long-lead procurements such as the use of a tunnel boring machine.
- Rights of way: The Project team currently is identifying rights of way needed for the project, so that certification and acquisition of properties and rights necessary to preserve the corridor may follow. These activities may be conducted post CEQA clearance and prior to NEPA clearance as early property acquisitions under FTA guidance for linear projects.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Because this report is provided on a regular basis and provides a high-level update on multiple projects, equity considerations are summarized and provided in this quarter’s report as a baseline summary. Future reports in this quarterly series will provide updates since the prior quarter, if any.
Attachment B establishes the current baseline assessments.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The development of projects included in this report supports strategic plan goal #1 by delivering high quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue to advance these projects through planning phases. The next quarterly Countywide Planning and Development major project status update will be in October 2023.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Project Status Report
Attachment B - Equity Assessments
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Allison Yoh, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development (213) 547-4275
Stephanie Leslie, Executive Officer, Projects Engineering (213) 893-7131
Nelli Derderian, Director, Financial and Administrative Management Services, (213) 418-3246
Avital Barnea, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development (213) 547-4317
David Mieger, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development (213) 922-3040
Ray Sosa, Deputy Chief Planning and Development Officer, (213) 547-4274
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Jim de la Loza, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-2920
Sameh Ghaly, Chief Program Management Officer (Interim), (213) 418-3369
